Today marks 76 years since the end of the Second World War, one of the world’s worst conflicts ever recorded in history.

As a British colony, Malta suffered many air raids from enemy forces with the intent of starving it into submission and taking hold of the island for its strategic position between mainland Europe and North Africa. Over 1,300 civilians lost their lives in the conflict and more than 30,000 buildings sustained serious damage or were totally destroyed.

One of these was the Birgu clock tower. Originally named the Civic Clock Tower, it was later rechristened as the Vittoriosa Clock Tower. Positioned in Birgu's main square, it was not only an important landmark for the city but also the adjacent cities of L-Isla and Bormla, which together form what we today refer to as The Three Cities.

Believed to have been built in Medieval times, it served the purpose of a watchtower and had a direct view of the Grand Harbour. A bell was later installed, with a clock added to the higher levels in the 17th century.

During the course of World War II, Birgu was heavily bombed due to its proximity to the Malta Dockyard and the Vittoriosa Clock Tower was hit in two seperate attacks. The first happened on 4th April 1942 when a bomb fell nearby, causing structural damage. Parts of it crumbled overnight between the 11th and 12th April, with its remains hit by a second bomb a fortnight later.

The ruin was removed about a decade later, and while talks to rebuild the historic clock tower have been held since the '50s, none have yet been finalised.